Every athlete has to train for their sport, and for Kimball High School sophomore Luis Salinas, that training is helping him make history in Dallas. Salinas is the first student in the district to compete in wheelchair racing, and he’s already preparing for his next challenge: the regional meet . “When I compete, it’s nerve-wracking because there’s a lot of people watching you, and during practice nobody’s looking at me, so I’m OK,” Salinas said. Salinas had never participated in sports before this year. That changed when Kimball High head track coach Wendy Robinson encouraged him to try track. “I saw the very first time that he raced — it’s just the lightbulb went on, and so he’s been hungry for it ever since,” Robinson said. Now, Salinas is focused on improving his times as he trains. “I’m just trying to work on it so I can get a better time,” Salinas said. His progress has also made an impact at home. “It makes me feel proud. I know he can do better, yeah,” his mother, Mayra Espinoza, said. Salinas competes in the 100-meter race and recently raced at the district meet. Next week, he’ll compete at regionals with a chance to advance even further. “And then if he advances, he will go to state in Austin — so exciting,” Robinson said. As he prepares, Salinas is focused on staying mentally locked in during races. “It’s just telling me to keep going — don’t look up, just look down, concentrate, just go for it,” Salinas said. Robinson said the sport has made a noticeable difference beyond competition. “More vocal, more confident, more people, more conversations, more friends,” Robinson said. For Salinas, the experience is about more than racing — it’s about what’s possible. “Anything is possible for a kid in a wheelchair,” Salinas said. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication. ...read more read less